By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
Barbaro had a custom-made cast removed and underwent a procedure on his right hind leg Saturday, the same leg the Kentucky Derby winner shattered eight months ago in the Preakness.
It is the first time in weeks the right hind leg has been the focus of concern. For months, it was the laminitis-stricken left hind leg that put Barbaro's recovery in serious jeopardy as he fights for survival.
"They did some procedures on the one he originally injured," co-owner Roy Jackson told The Associated Press on Saturday night. "He had a little bit of a bruise, an abscess. I should let New Bolton fill you in on the procedure."
Gail Luciani, a spokeswoman for the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school, would not confirm if a procedure was performed on Barbaro by chief surgeon Dean Richardson and had no additional comment.
Jackson's wife and co-owner, Gretchen, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Barbaro was again facing tough odds.
"He's got a lot of issues, and not any of them is bad enough to say goodbye. But put together it's not a good day for Barbaro," Jackson said in a story posted on the paper's Web site.
Roy Jackson said he visited Barbaro after the procedure and the colt was alert and ate his grass. Jackson also said there were no additional problems with the left hind and that it was "doing pretty well."
The procedure comes three days after Barbaro had two new casts applied to his hind legs. He received a custom-made plastic and steel brace on his right hind leg. He also got a special orthotic brace on the right foot that will give him additional support and give doctors easier access to an abscess that was drained.
Gretchen Jackson told the Inquirer the brace was removed.
"We seem to be going through a period where things are coming up," Roy Jackson said. "It hasn't been all smooth the last three or four weeks."
In July, Barbaro developed laminitis in his left hoof due to uneven weight distribution in the limbs, 80 percent of that hoof was removed.
"It's nothing that we haven't been through," Roy Jackson said. "Dr. Richardson has said there would be problems along the road."
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